CD Reviews

The Craftsman Returns

Greg | 11/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So-called "New Age" music is long on atmosphere, but too often floats away for not being grounded. With Eric Tingstad, I never feel like that - I always know where we are, he and I. He's the craftsman, making a comfortable place for us to relax. Whether he's evoking the northwest woods, his garden or the view of a snowfall outside his window, Eric's guitar playing is always firmly rooted in musical tradition, yet his unique voice is unmistakable. He engages the mind and heart like a good storyteller.This album, Eric's first new solo work since 1984, may seem far removed from his early, impressionistic classical work. But there's no mistaking it for anyone else's music. Eric's steel-string acoustic guitars still ring like harps, with occasional singing lines on clean electric guitar. Overall, Eric blends his guitars like a master painter mixing colors to achieve just the right effect.Some old friends sat in for this album; the highlight for me was Richard Warner's flute on the lovely Castle by the Lough. Other standouts are the lyrical Monongahela, the hypnotic The Craftsman, and In Moonlight Blue with David Lanz.An all-guitar version of his classic tune Marigold (the original had no guitar at all) raised my eyebrows a bit, but it works just fine. Eric considers himself a composer first, who happens to play guitar, and I think his music would work well on many different instruments.Eric's work with Nancy Rumbel is some of the best contemporary music we've got. I'm not minimizing that when I express the hope that Eric will continue to work on his own, once in a while."

Like a hot bath after a tiring day !

Greg | 03/02/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wonderful string sounds..... Lyrical, but without words...... Soulful, yet energising..... Spirited/spiritful, but nothing illogic........ I don't know where I first heard this exactly.... A guess would be NPR as a "filler"......... There are at least five fine tracks on this...... A recording that grows on one, then grows more."

Wonderful Music

Dorothy Leighton | Blue Hill, ME | 08/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love Tingstad & Rumble together & wish I had everything of theirs. Eric Tingstad on his his own is every bit as good as when performing with Nancy Rumble. I highly recomend this CD to anyone who loves good music, especially Tingstad & Rumble fans."

Eric Tingstand

Brian | USA | 10/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When my dad was just about to put this CD in the CD player, I thought, "oh great, another old person CD." But the more i listened to it the more I liked it. This album is filled with great acoustic guitar riffs as well as piano, saxophone, and flute that just make you feel good! The foresty feeling this CD gives you is a complete sense of relaxation."